


A Friend to Rely On

by TheDoctorIsIcecube



Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pokemon, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 11:10:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8665348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDoctorIsIcecube/pseuds/TheDoctorIsIcecube
Summary: Matteusz is just starting his Pokémon journey and he meets Charlie, a mysterious young man who wants desperately to see a world that he claims to have grown up in.





	

Pokéball in hand, Matteusz felt ready to start an adventure. Ready to get away from his parents, for starters, and ready to show the world that he meant something. Unfortunately, there was a rather large crowd of people in his way at the moment.

He'd heard about these people, and he wasn't at all impressed that they were in his way. He thought they stayed further north than Astroleus Town, but apparently they'd decided to break that just so they could ruin the beginning of his journey. Most of them seemed to be gathered to hear someone speak, but Matteusz couldn't even see that person. He just glanced down at his Pokéball again, wondering if a good water gun would clear the crowd.

He scanned the group, and suddenly he made eye contact with someone. A boy with startlingly blue eyes was staring right at him. He was sitting on a bench with a Pokémon, looking very bored as he swung his legs back and forth as he watched the people. Apparently he was especially watching Matteusz.

Matteusz tilted his head curiously, and started walking closer. The boy's Pokemon spun in midair and let out a strange sort of tinkling sound as he approached. "Be careful of Minior," the boy warned. "It has a tendency to blow up around strangers. Literally..."

"Okay," Matteusz said, and the boy's face lit up in a smile. He didn't see why. He hadn't said anything special. "I'll stay away, don't worry." He didn't want to pay for medicine on his first day on a journey.

"No, you don't have to stay away. Just keep that Pokéball out of sight." Matteusz nodded and tucked it into his bag, keeping a hand on the small lump that it formed. "It gets jumpy because people try to catch it," the boy continued. Matteusz wanted to ask him what he was doing with an uncaptured explosive Pokémon in a public place, but he was too worried about said explosive Pokémon being used against him.

"I will not try and catch it then," he said warily. "What is your name? I am Matteusz."

"I'm P- I'm Charlie," he said, and his smile instantly faded. Matteusz didn't understand why being asked for a name was upsetting at all. "I've never met someone called Matteusz before."

"Is not a name from around here," he explained. "My parents only moved here recently. I have not had much time to explore."

"I've never been here before either," Charlie said, and he started swinging his legs faster, moving up and down where he was sitting. He was excited, then. "I-"

"You what?" Matteusz wondered why he'd stopped, glancing over at Minior to see if it was about to explode or something. It was not.

"Don't worry," Charlie said hastily. "It's nothing..." He laughed a little nervously. "I like it here."

"It's pretty boring for me normally," Matteusz said with a grin. "But now I'm here to start my adventure with my Pokémon."

"In your Pokéball?" Charlie raised an eyebrow at Matteusz's bag. "What Pokemon have you got?"

"Popplio," Matteusz said, knowing that his happiness was showing in his voice. He loved his new friend. They'd only known each other for a couple of days, but he was sure they'd bonded.

"Ah. May I see it- him? Her?" 

"Him." Matteusz dug the ball out of his bag, careful to keep it out of Minior's sight, releasing his newest friend onto the ground.

Charlie's face instantly lit up in a wider smile and he bent down to be eye level with Popplio. "Hello," he said. His voice was so soft; it was obvious to Matteusz that he knew very well how to talk to Pokémon. Popplio looked up at Charlie, and then tilted his head up and nudged Charlie with the pink tip of his nose. Charlie looked delighted, reaching out to stroke Popplio on the head.

Popplio barked, but Charlie didn't withdraw. He could apparently tell that the Pokémon was happy rather than telling him to back off. "Do you know lots about Pokémon?" Matteusz asked.

"Yes, I do. I've spent a lot of time with them...they trust me enough to know that I won't do them any harm, which is why I can keep them without Pokéballs."

"Really?" Matteusz asked. He'd known that Charlie wasn't keeping Minior in a Pokéball, but not keeping Pokémon in them at all? It sounded unbelievable.

"Yes, really." The way Charlie said that made it sound like he'd gotten that reaction a hundred times before. And honestly, it wasn't surprising that he had. Everyone used Pokéballs. It was necessary to use Pokéballs, even, because Pokémon didn't just listen to people. That wasn't how it worked. It wasn't in their nature to do so, ever.

But Matteusz didn't say anything like that, because it was clear that Charlie was getting Pokemon to listen to him. There was no point calling it impossible. "Um, would you mind showing me around?" Charlie asked. "I'm here with family friends but they're not too bothered about showing me anything."

"I could." Matteusz knew the area well, having been to the town many times. Giving Charlie a tour would be no problem. "Is a shop that sells clothing down the street, and a food stall. Also a place selling Pokéballs, but you will not be interested in that, I guess?"

Charlie shook his head. "I just want to see around," he said. "I've never- never mind." Matteusz looked at him, curious. "Please could we just leave this area? I get claustrophobic in crowds."

"That's fine by me." Matteusz scanned Charlie's face, seeing the signs of anxiety creasing his forehead. "Don't worry, all will be okay." He put Popplio back in his Pokéball and gently grabbed Charlie's arm, leading him away from the group of weirdos who were starting to attract quite the crowd. This place wasn't exactly large, so Matteusz just pulled Charlie along behind him to a fairly quiet street. He would be okay.

Charlie started to perk up almost immediately after he was out of the crowd, though Matteusz did notice how his eyes kept drifting back to the main square. "Why are you looking there?" He wondered if there was something he had missed, perhaps, or someone who Charlie was trying to stay away from.

"Could you show me around now?" Charlie asked, now pointedly looking away from the square. He was far too obvious.

"I could." Matteusz beckoned for Charlie to follow him down onto a wider street, pointing to a red-roofed building. "Pokemon Centre is there."

Charlie nodded, his eyes sweeping all over the landscape. He'd said he'd never been here before, but Matteusz thought it was a bit excessive. He was probably just pretending to be interested for his sake or something. Ah well. It was nice to have some attention, he supposed. That was a rare thing around here- everyone was so busy, and his parents simply didn't bother. But Charlie was hooked on his every word.

Maybe the wider world was like this all the time, he thought. That got Matteusz excited, and he soon turned the conversation towards his adventure and how he was going to be the best Pokémon trainer ever. Though Charlie didn't seem too fond of the idea of catching Pokémon and forcing them to fight, he very quickly got excited about the prospect of travelling around the whole region and meeting all kinds of people. Even Minior spun a little faster, which was alarming at first, until Charlie assured him that it was from excitement and he wasn't about to explode.

Matteusz stopped off in the Pokemon Centre to heal Popplio- he'd been accosted by a couple of kids demanding a battle on his way into town- and as they were waiting, Charlie looked rather pensive, as if there was something he wanted to ask. "When trainers go on these journeys," Charlie said, "are they always alone? That sounds like it could be a bit dangerous."

Matteusz collected his Pokéball before answering, wandering over to the little blue kiosk in the corner to buy some potions. "Usually alone, yes. It does seen lonely...I was hoping to meet a friend along the way."

"I really want to see the whole of the Darelis region," Charlie said. Matteusz noticed that he was trying to avoid making eye contact and he kept fiddling with his hands.

"Are you asking to come with me?" Might as well get straight to the point. He knew he'd been right, too- Charlie flushed deep red, and then nodded. "If you want to," Matteusz said, "I would be happy to have you."


End file.
